BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – A landslide occurred in sitio Baluc in Brgy. Malasibog of Escalante City, followed by ground movements in Brgy. Paitan last Tuesday afternoon, prompting the evacuation of 28 families from the affected areas to the public school building and the chapel.
A report from the Provincial Social Welfare Office said assistance packages were already dispatched to the evacuation centers, while the Escalante City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council continued to warn other residents in the area to be on alert.
According to reports, the affected areas were declared by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau permanent danger zones as early as 2007 but residents opted to stay.
Provincial Social Welfare officer Liane Garcia said the Escalante City government needed help from other agencies to assess the current situation of the affected areas. – (FREEMAN)